The birth of conjoined twins in Nigeria is always greeted with emotions. This can be connected to the rarity of the situation forcing many to wonder if they are truly a blessing.

The widely spread account of the Sobowale–Davies twins in Lagos that recently celebrated their 10 years birthday is one successful attempt in many geared at separating conjoined twins born to Nigerian parents.
The Bassey family in Abuja must have been expecting same successful separation when they woke up to the reality of giving birth to conjoined twins.

The jobless couple had recently been delivered of conjoined twins at Luna Hospital, Gwarinpa, Abuja before they were referred to the National Hospital, Abuja.

The expectant mother, Mrs. Patience Elisha Bassey, had patiently carried the babies for nine months expecting two bundles of joy as shown by the scan. Though, the bundle came but it was bonded turning out to be a different story.

When the 30-year old woman, a full time housewife went into labour to deliver her babies; little did she knew the shock that awaited her. She was blessed with two boys but they came with a huge deformity. They were conjoined from the stomach and chest down. They shared three legs, one liver, one kidney and one intestine.

This situation presented a herculean task to doctors where they were born and they were later transferred to National Hospital for further consultations and treatment.

But the babies, who battled for life for thirteen days lost the battle at the National Hospital. The father, Mr. Elisha Bassey, with an emotion laden voice, described the period as the most challenging for the family.

“We are not first timers in parenting so this actually came as a shock for us. Before now, doctors had told me that the case was hopeless as no hospital could do the operation to separate them in Nigeria. At the National Hospital, I was asked to seek around to find out where the babies could be transferred to outside the country and they will help facilitate in whatever way they could. We were trying our best to see how we could find out a hospital that could carry out the surgery abroad when I was called to the hospital,” he said.

On getting to the hospital, the news of the babies’ death was broken to him. According to him, the doctors did all they could but could not save the babies whose blood pressure was said to have been rising.

“I didn’t know what to say or do but just left the hospital. I couldn’t bring myself to go and see the corpse of my twin boys at the mortuary. This is not something I pray for my enemy,” he lamented.
But the death of the babies is not only the challenge the family is facing but also the unpaid hospital bills of about N120,000.

“As you know, I am jobless and so is my wife, we are just managing life. After all, this whole stress and the money we have spent so far, we still do not have the babies to look at and still smile even after the whole struggle. They are gone and we still have a lot of debts to settle,” He said amidst tears.

Mrs. Elisha an indigene of Akwa Ibom state found out she was going to have twins when she had her first scan six months gone into full term of her pregnancy. She had two other scans after that but ironically none of the scans revealed that the babies were conjoined.

“I was overwhelmed with happiness, so was my husband about the result of the scan but all the while we did the scan we were never told that the babies were conjoined. Even when I eventually gave birth to the babies through caesarean section and I regained consciousness, nobody told me that my babies were conjoined until two days later, when I heard the nurses and some patients discussing it. It was then I realized why I haven’t been allowed to see my babies,” the bereft mother said.

Dr Victor Akpan, Chief Medical Director, Luna Hospitals Abuja, where the kids were born however painted a better picture of the situation.

According to him, ultra sounds were done at three different centres but none could detect that the babies were conjoined.
“Another thing people need to understand is that the issue of ultra sound depends on expertise. The tests that would have revealed the conjoined twins would have been the MRI and CTI scan. But it was not necessary and the financial strength of the parents would not have accommodated the required tests,” he explained.

The medical practitioner also highlighted the situation in which the babies shared vital organs. This, he said, could make the operation very difficult for any centre around the world.

“We have to be realistic in this case. If the babies shared just muscle and skin and had all vital organs differently, it would have been easy for any paediatric doctor to carry out the surgery. But a situation where they share just one vital organ the chances are very slim,” he said

Though the babies are gone the scar left behind will forever remain fresh to the family. The joblessness situation of the couple which has made it difficult for them to foot the bill incurred at the hospital during their trying period is still a huge quandary before the family.

She was blessed with
two boys but they came
with a huge deformity.
They were conjoined from
the stomach and chest
down. They shared three
legs, one liver, one kidney
and one intestine.

vivacious vivi: Quite an increase in conjoined babies over the last 5years o. May their souls RIP. Naija mentality sha, you are jobless and so is your wife and I guess using condoms was also out of the question. Even if the twins were born normal and had survived, how was he planning on taking care of the family...considering by his own admission that "there were not new in parenting".

pukena: Condolences to d bereaved family...

But I dnt accept any excuses for joblessness..
I lost my parents as a kid...nevertheless I am a graduate today, and have built two businesses so far and still counting...

Stop making babies...get busy!

kendraloops:
Madam, don't talk like that. U neva can tell what led to conception n d eventual birth of those babies. Would u av preferred they had an abortion? There are countless cases of children who have brought blessings to their parent by virtue of their birth. Call me superstitious or whatever but I strongly believe in it cos I av seen countless examples.
Best we can do is to pray God strengthens them to cope with the pain cos it'l hurt for a looooong while.
RIP baby boys.

SKIPCY: That's sad. May God comfort them n the hospital should please waive the charges.

dplomaticVal: Our medical practitioners need to buckle up to forestall the enormous rate of infant mortality. RIP deceased twins.

smothly: May God console the bereaved parent of the twins and i pray God replace their loss with triplet.AMEN

torture: The twins death is a blessing to the man!! Are they planning to buy an extra kidney and liver?? And a leg too?? Thank God. Fix urself financially.

torture: The twins death is a blessing to the man!! Are they planning to buy an extra kidney and liver?? And a leg too?? Thank God. Fix urself financially.